Golden Plains 2012: rock, roll, dance, disco and Dickins

By Mia Mala McDonald (photos)

Ballarat's fresh-faced superstars Hunting Grounds hit the single stage at Meredith in the company of the Black Lips, Nile Rodgers, Bon Iver, Lanie Lane and many many more. See all the photos from the official house photographer of the 6th Golden Plains Festival, held on the Nolan family farm.

Upon a gorgeous weekend in the country the Meredith Supernatural Ampitheatre once again brought together the latest in precocious new talent with some extraordinary names from the 1960s and 1970s - with a whole lot of Australian talent in between.

Newer artists such as Black Lips, Lanie Lane and Lost Animal took to the single stage at the Nolan family farm alongside such as legends as psychedelic wildman Roky Erikson, funk/disco pioneer Nile Rodgers and his band Chic, with representations from the new guard of folk music made by Bon Iver and Bonnie Prince Billy and his band.

The soul-funk show by Charles Bradley and his band proved one of the highlights of the weekend, while the 90s flashback was properly instituted with the appearance of Urge Overkill, with Melbourne's own literary legend Barry Dickins taking to the stage Saturday morning to wax lyrical upon the evergreen topic 'Why Make Art'

Ballarat's own Hunting Grounds made their debut to rapturous acclaim, while one of Melbourne's finest world-beating DJs, Dexter, returned once again to the Supernatural Ampitheatre to bring the crowd to its feet for a wild mixup of songs.